Freshwater Distribution on Earth

While approximately 69% of Earth's freshwater is locked in ice caps and glaciers, of the remaining freshwater (~31%), about 30% exists as groundwater, making it the largest proportion of the remaining freshwater. Lakes and rivers contain only about 0.3% of total freshwater. Atmospheric moisture and soil moisture constitute even smaller portions. Groundwater is crucial for human consumption, agriculture, and industrial use despite being underground. This makes option (c) the correct answer regarding the distribution of remaining accessible freshwater. > After ice/glaciers, groundwater dominates freshwater reserves—more freshwater below ground than in all surface water bodies combined. Answer: c.